It’s Easy To Get Busy And Forget

What important thing about life, or something important in your life, have you forgotten a little? Asked another way, is that important thing still on the forefront of your mind? Should it be? What kind of thing should be on your mind every day?

And if that thing begins to erode or slip, how will it affect your life?

I was reading today and came across these words:

“Jerusalem, if I forget you, let my right hand lose its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not think about Jerusalem as my greatest joy.” (Psalms 137:5-6 NCV)

At first glance, that sounds a little odd in today’s world. Why would someone be so passionate about remembering a city? The answer is found in the backstory.

Israel had been conquered and taken into captivity in Babylon. Jerusalem was much more than a city. It represented God’s presence, God’s promises, God’s people, and God’s ways. The writer was essentially saying, “If I ever forget God and what He has done, if I ever lose sight of what matters most, then may I lose the ability to do what I was created to do.” Jerusalem represented the center of his worship, purpose, identity, and joy.

Today, Wendy and I were talking about doing something fun and very expensive. I promise I’m not saying this to brag. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. If I’m honest, it’s a little scary. Why? Because Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

I know that sounds churchy, but the truth is that I know myself. Left to myself, I can drift. I can slowly become more interested in comfort, entertainment, experiences, and possessions than I am in the things of God. It rarely happens all at once. It’s usually a slow erosion, almost unnoticed until one day you realize you have more of the world in you and less of Christ.

That’s why passages like Psalm 137 catch my attention. They force me to ask what I never want to or shouldn’t forget. They remind me that worshipping God, sharing Christ with people who don’t know Him, and helping people who are suffering must remain near the center of my life. I don’t want more of this world. I really want more of God - of Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Here are a few truths that I think many people (including me) may not want to look at. Why? Because they pull at us (me) to do something.

For example, there are millions of people who walk miles every day just to gather dirty drinking water. There are millions who lack basic medical care, enough food, personal safety, or even a sense of peace. While many of us are deciding between one luxury and another, others are simply trying to survive another day. Here’s the question. What should you and I do about this?

Now don’t misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of your labor. God has richly blessed many of us, and Scripture never teaches that every believer should live like a monk. But there is a difference between enjoying God’s blessings and becoming consumed by them. That’s where I become cautious.

The scary part for me is that I don’t live like John the Baptist. Speaking of Jesus, John said: “He must become greater, and I must become less important.” (John 3:30 NCV)

That’s one of the most challenging verses in all of Scripture because my natural tendency is exactly the opposite. I want more comfort, more convenience, more security, more enjoyment, and more control. Yet John understood something that many of us spend our entire lives learning or looking for. Life is found when Christ becomes greater and we become less. Yet, we try so many other things, other than Christ.

The truth is that your deepest happiness, your greatest sense of peace, and your fullest experience of life will not ultimately come from a new purchase, a dream vacation, a better body, a younger face, nicer clothes, or a larger house.

I know that sounds churchy, but after all these years, I believe it’s true. Real life comes from knowing God, enjoying God, worshipping God, reading His Word, talking to Him in prayer, and walking closely with His Son. The things of this world can entertain us for a season, but they were never designed to satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart.

The second great purpose God gives us is to love people. Jesus said: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Mark 12:31 NCV)

That’s a profound statement when you stop and think about it. Most of us spend a tremendous amount of time thinking about ourselves. We protect ourselves, feed ourselves, entertain ourselves, comfort ourselves, and plan for ourselves.

Jesus says to take that same level of concern and direct it toward other people. Help them. Serve them. Encourage them. Carry their burdens. Point them toward God.

There is also a warning here. If the things of this world are filling your thoughts and consuming your attention, if you always seem to be chasing the next thing, the next purchase, the next trip, the next accomplishment, or the next experience, wake up a little. There is a spiritual battle taking place whether we recognize it or not. Satan is called the ruler of this world, and one day he took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Then he made an incredible offer:

“If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.” (Matthew 4:9 NCV)

Think about what Satan was offering. Wealth. Power. Influence. Prestige. Recognition. Comfort. Everything the world spends its life chasing. Yet Jesus wasn’t interested because His heart was somewhere else. His mind was fixed on His Father. He understood that the kingdoms of this world are temporary, but the Kingdom of God is eternal.

That leaves you and me with a question. Where is your purpose? Where are you drawing your happiness from? What occupies your thoughts when no one is around? What do you dream about? What are you really pursuing? Be honest …

I ask myself those same questions because if I’m honest, I know how much I naturally love myself. When Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” it reminds me just how much attention I already give to my own wants, needs, desires, and comforts. That’s a little unsettling when I think about it. Can you relate?

Psalm 137 reminds you and me that every person has a “Jerusalem” - something they treasure above everything else. The question is whether our Jerusalem is God Himself or something else. The writer refused to forget what mattered most. Maybe that’s the lesson for us today. Don’t forget God. Don’t forget Christ. Don’t forget why you’re here. Don’t let the temporary things of this world crowd out the eternal things that matter most.

Because at the end of the day, God is life itself. God is love itself. God is the source of purpose, meaning, joy, peace, and hope. Everything else is secondary.

GOD, as you know, it’s so easy to say; “I’m a believer” or “I love you” - yet our life and our lifestyle many times says something completely different. Help me be true to you. Help me possess what I profess. Just help me please. IJNIP amen ♥️